If you weren’t already aware, May is National Walking Month. It is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. It’s also a great time to get fit and healthy, and to raise money for charity by completing a virtual fitness challenge.
What are the benefits of walking?
Walking is a great form of exercise, with multiple benefits for both your body and your mind.
Physical health benefits of walking
It’s low-impact, so it’s easy on your joints and therefore one of the most popular and effective ways of maintaining good health for people of all fitness level and age. It’s also a great way to get some cardio exercise. Walking can help you burn calories, improve your cardiovascular health, which will reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
Walking with help to strengthen your bones and muscles, particularly in your legs, hips and back. This will help to keep your body stronger as it ages.
Walking has been associated with reducing risk of some types of cancer, including breast and bowel cancer. Just 20 minutes is a day is said to help to reduce your risk of terminal illness.
Mental health benefits of walking
Walking is also a great way to relieve stress and improve your mental health. Studies have shown that walking can help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also help improve your mood and cognitive function. Some people prefer to get up and go for a walk first thing in the morning in the fresh air to start their day with a clear head and a sense of purpose, others prefer to go off into the countryside to take on several hours of brisk exercise. However you do it, there is no denying the mental health benefits of getting out in the air and walking anywhere.
Taking on a walk in the evening is a great way to wind down before bedtime, which in turn can help you to sleep much better when you get to bed. A full night’s sleep is another great way to ensure you start your day with some pep in your step, instead of sluggish and unable to get your head into the day.
Discover new people and places
In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, walking is also a great way to explore your community and connect with nature. When you walk, you’re more likely to take in your surroundings and appreciate the beauty of the world around you.
And you don’t need to do it alone either; enlist the company of your family members walking groups are an amazing part of many people’s social lives. Likeminded people getting together on a weekend to cover several miles in the countryside, around lakes, or even in the mountainous climes of the vast moorlands of the UK.
Take a Virtual Tour of Rio de Janeiro for charity
If you’re looking for a way to get fit, healthy, and give back, consider taking part in the Fitwins virtual walking challenge.
The Fitwins Virtual Walking Challenge is an amazing way to help to raise money for your chosen charity, whether you’re taking it on alone or working with friends or colleagues to amass as many miles as you can in 31 days.
Link the Fitwins app to your Strava app, and head out on a walk. It doesn’t matter whether you’re walking around your local park with your dog or jumping in the car to take on the Three Peaks Challenge. Inside the app, you can track your progress around some of the world’s most famous cities and landmarks, clicking on the Google Streetview icon to get right down into the map.
There are distance targets to achieve, global leaderboards to climb, and if you upgrade to premium entry then you will gain a fantastic heavyweight virtual challenge medal that’s exclusive to the challenge you’re taking.
In May, the challenge of the month is the beautiful home of Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro. There are loads of good causes that you can get involved with, whether it’s a worldwide charity in aid of third world countries or it’s a local charity that’s close to your heart. Why not take on the might of Rio in aid of these charities?
Ways to get Sponsorship for Charity with a Virtual Walking Challenge
There are a couple of different ways you can request sponsorship; one way would be to ask your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you a set amount for every mile that you complete. For example, if you’re planning to take on the 25 mile virtual fitness challenge, why not have them sponsor you 50p per mile, or even £1?
Another might be to simply request a set amount upon hitting your preferred challenge distance. For example, you aim to complete a 50 mile Fitwins virtual walking challenge, they donate £5 to your cause when you hit your target?
Why not register for an online charity sponsor platform to collect your donations remotely? Remember to check for the ones with high collection fees to ensure the most possible money goes to your charity of choice, or most charities do already have a pre-built sponsorship collection system you can use.
